I grew up attending Christ the King in Ann Arbor. When I was younger, maybe 9-12 years old, I remember having daily Mass at Spiritus Sanctus Academy, the grade school I went to, and also having the opportunity to serve at Mass there. It was really an amazing time for me at that school because it was there I came to know God, have a relationship with Him and it is where the desire to be a priest came into my heart. I remember the day that Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Pope. The entire school went crazy when white smoke appeared. Almost every student had bells in their hands and we were running up and down the hallways ringing them. All the students gathered in the gym to watch the first appearance of the new pope, Pope Benedict XVI. When he came out I remember distinctly that I had a desire to be a priest. I think I remember saying the words “I want to do that.” High school came and I put my faith and relationship with God aside, I did not make God a priority in my life. But due to God’s grace he called me back into a relationship with Him. I fell back in love with God and His church, and remembered when I was younger that I had this desire to be a priest. I continued to pray and discern about the priesthood. Eventually, after all the interviews and meetings with the vocation director were over, there was great peace and joy in my heart about the decision I made to enter seminary. If there is one thing I wish I could have done differently would be to always make time for God in silent prayer. Just sitting with Him in front of the Blessed Sacrament, resting with Him. God works through our efforts to be there, even if we think our prayer is not bearing much fruit, God rewards us by making the effort just to be with Him. Always keep God as a priority (the priority) in your life.